Nicholas Grimshaw: The Architect Who Transformed Pulkovo
Article by Aleksei Sholokhov
Many residents of St. Petersburg may not realize the crucial role British architect Nicholas Grimshaw played in shaping the city. His name is not widely known, yet he was the designer of the new Pulkovo Airport terminal, the space through which the Northern Capital welcomes millions of people. A world-class architect, Grimshaw remained a modest man, valuing work over fame.
From Herman Miller Factory to “Eden”
Nicholas Grimshaw was born in 1939 into a family of aircraft engineers and learned early to view the world through an engineering lens. At the Architectural Association School in London, he studied under the avant-garde group Archigram, adopting ideas of flexibility, technology, and transparency.
His early projects set the tone for future experiments: the modular Herman Miller Factory (1976) was initially designed for reconfiguration, the Financial Times printing house (1988) combined industrial precision with media function, and the UK Pavilion at Expo 1992 in Seville demonstrated how engineering clarity could become a diplomatic language of architecture. The Ludwig-Erhard-Haus in Berlin (1997) exemplified strict rationality for the stock exchange, and the famous “Eden” in Cornwall (2000) allowed technology to serve nature.
The New Pulkovo Terminal: Competition and Context
Grimshaw won the competition for the new Pulkovo terminal, where he implemented principles of clarity, light, and convenience. The terminal does not boast loudly, but thousands of passengers pass through it daily, which is its true value: architecture that serves both people and the city.
“With the new Pulkovo, the city gained not just a well-organized terminal but a true work of art, where space works for people — a credit entirely due to Nicholas Grimshaw.”
Past Inconveniences
The previous “Pulkovo-2” terminal was an example of how not to design or operate an airport. Many incidents demonstrated systemic planning errors. With the new Pulkovo, the city gained a terminal where space works for people — a credit entirely due to Nicholas Grimshaw.
A Man of Open Doors
Grimshaw’s modesty is legendary. A journalist who dreamed of interviewing him wrote letters for over two months and scheduled an appointment. When she arrived, she could enter without a pass. Grimshaw welcomed her not as a world-famous architect but as a colleague with whom it was pleasant to discuss ideas.
© 2025 Architekture Cabinet | Article by Aleksei Sholokhov